1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ventilated tailgate devices and more specifically it relates to a net tailgate for providing a flexible ventilated tailgate which allows a fifth-wheel trailer to connected to a pickup without having to remove the tailgate.
Conventional net tailgates are constructed from nylon, vinyl or similar fabric. The fabric chosen for the convention net tailgates preferably has flaccid characteristics thereby allowing them to be easily stored when not needed. Further, the flaccid characteristics reduce the chance that the cargo will be damaged if it should come into contact with the tailgate. However, since the conventional net tailgates are flaccid, an central opening for receiving the hitch portion of a fifth-wheeler trailer has not been utilized for obvious reasons. Therefore, there has become a need for a net tailgate which has the desired flaccid characteristics of prior net tailgates and which has a central opening for receiving the hitch portion of the fifth-wheeler trailer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are numerous ventilated tailgate devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,195; U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,367; U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,367; U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,115; U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,312; Design U.S. Pat. No. 344,259; Design U.S. Pat. No. 353,126 to all are illustrative of such prior art.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for providing a flexible ventilated tailgate which allows a fifth-wheel trailer to connected to a pickup without having to remove the tailgate. None of the prior art teaches a ventilated net tailgate which has an opening for receiving a hitch of a fifth-wheeler trailer.
In these respects, the net tailgate according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a flexible ventilated tailgate which allows a fifth-wheel trailer to connected to a pickup without having to remove the tailgate.